REG_190308-GARGASH-(Read-Only)
Dr Gargash hailed the visits by Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Image Credit: AFP file

Dubai: Dr Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President, on Saturday hailed the visits by Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the UAE and Saudi Arabia as a “positive step” for the region.

The region will benefit from an approach of “communication and rapprochement”, Dr Gargash said in a tweet on Saturday after the Turkish president’s visit to Saudi Arabia.

“The visits of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the UAE and sisterly Saudi Arabia and the adoption of the approach of communication and rapprochement is a positive step for the benefit of the region as a whole,” Gargash said.

Erdogan visited the UAE on February 14 and Saudi Arabia on April 28-29.

After his first trip to the kingdom since 2017, Erdogan said yesterday Turkey and Saudi Arabia have a common will to “reactivate a great economic potential” between the two countries.

Speaking to reporters on a flight back from Saudi Arabia, Erdogan said the sides were determined to accelerate efforts for the common interests and stability of the region, Turkish media reported.

“We agreed with Saudi Arabia to reactivate a great economic potential through organisations that will bring our investors together,” Erdogan said.

On his two-day visit, Erdogan met Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, and discussed various international, regional and bilateral issues.

“We announced that we, as Turkey, would support them in their bid to host EXPO 2030 in Riyadh,” he added.

Prior to flying to Saudi Arabia, Erdogan said he hoped “to launch a new era” in bilateral ties.

“We believe enhancing cooperation in areas including defence and finance is in our mutual interest,” Erdogan said.

-- Inputs from Reuters